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City contemplates dumping parking minimums, seeks public input

Around 60,000 people visit Downtown every weekday, leaving a bevy of parking options for people to come down during evenings and weekends for dining, events, shopping, and nightlife.Photo by Supplied

The city is considering ditching parking regulations for homes and businesses, and wants Edmontonians’ feedback on the idea.

The current parking regulations that stipulate a minimum number of parking spaces that a home or business must have were put in place in the 1970s, and don’t “reflect current needs and preferences,” statesa draft report on the topic.

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The report recommends changing the existing bylaw to allow for “open option parking” that would allow business and homeowners to choose how much parking they want to provide. Right now, parking for commercial development is generally tied to the size of the building, and residential parking is calculated by the number of units.

Making the change would allow for diversity of neighbourhoods that are walkable, and others that are drivable, the report states.

Through a technical study, the city found that the existing regulations have created an “oversupply” of parking: a minority of parking lots do reach over 90 per cent capacity, and when they do it’s only during certain parts of the day or week.

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However, to prevent too much parking in transit areas where the city is trying to encourage density, the report recommends keeping and expanding maximum parking restrictions for certain areas.

The report also recommends adding requirement for bicycle parking. A certain number of barrier-free parking spaces for persons with disabilities will still be required, even if no standard parking stalls are provided.